Film Development For 5/5/16: Harriet Tubman Getting Feature Treatment, Bruce Dern & Sean Astin in for ‘The Lears’
Among the other moves happening this week, Jack Huston and Emilia Clarke sign on to a thriller based on real events, Broad Green jumps aboard the Michael Fassbender serial killer flick, a bevy of actors joining the Mark Felt biopic and some very funny people signing on to How To Be a Latin Lover. As usual, there’s plenty more, so click on the link to read on. (SSN)
Adam McKay Is Following Up His Oscar-Winning ‘The Big Short’ With a Big Time Comic Book Flick
Twentieth Century Fox is gearing up for another big superhero movie, but this one won’t star the X-Men or Deadpool. McKay will direct the big screen adaptation of the Mark Waid and Peter Krouse comic book series, Irredeemable, with Tommy Wirkola penning the script. Published in 2009, it tells the story of a Superman-like character, The Plutonian, who one days snaps and becomes the world’s greatest supervillain, flooding continents and killing millions. (CS)
Ryan Murphy Anthology ‘Feud,’ Starring Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon, Set at FX
The prolific producer has scored a straight-to-series order for the show — as its title suggests — about famous feuds. Produced by Fox 21 Television Studios, and executive produced by Brad Pitt, the eight-episode first season revolves around the legendary rift between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis that occurred during the making of 1962 feature film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Alfred Molina, Stanley Tucci, Judy Davis and Dominic Burgess co-star. (LF)
Timbaland to Develop TV Musical Based on His Album ‘Opera Noir’
For the past two seasons on Empire, he has been the man behind the music — now, he’s going to be making his own musical. The producer has struck a deal with Leftfield Pictures to develop his upcoming album into a musical. Opera Noir will be a scripted hip-hop musical based on and scored by his upcoming autobiographical and final album. The plan is to shop it to networks as an event special in a variety of potential formats, from standalone to limited series. (VAR)
Another Day, Another Bit Of Russell Crowe Casting News, as Oscar Winner Will Star In James Franco’s Adaptation ‘Blood Meridian’
A day after reports that Crowe would be joining Tom Cruise in Universal’s The Mummy reboot, the Aussie actor has joined the cast of Franco’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel. Tye Sheridan and Vincent D’Onofrio are also in the cast, alongside Franco, who also wrote the script. Scott Rudin is producing. (TP)
Meme Come To Life, Screen Gems and Mythology Entertainment To Make a ‘Slender Man’ Movie
Created by Eric Knudsen on the website Something Awful, where he posted photos of children with a photoshopped creepy figure in the background, built around the narrative that the Slender Man may or may not be responsible for many terrifying acts. It led to a real-life 2014 stabbing of a 12-year girl in Wisconsin, though she survived the attack. David Birke wrote the script, Bradley Fischer, William Sherak, and James Vanderbilt producing. (COL)
Shirley MacLaine & Matthew Broderick To Topline ‘Bettyville’ Dramedy Series For Paramount TV
Pod is behind the project that has Oscar winner MacLaine and Tony winner Broderick attached to star. The adaptation of journalist George Hodgman’s best-selling memoir, will be written by John Hoffman, who will serve as executive producer and showrunner on the series, set to film in Santa Fe, NM. Story follows Hodgman after leaving Manhattan for his hometown of Paris, Missouri to care for his aging mother Betty, chronicling the mother-son journey. (DH)
Bryan Cranston, Mila Kunis and Armie Hammer Appear Headed For a ‘Jackpot’
Trio is in for a movie that follows the story of a man who wakes up in a strip bar clutching a shotgun and surrounded by dead bodies. And the police pointing their weapons at him. Based on a book by Norwegian author Jo Nesbo. Jennifer Garner is also in talks for the project, which will be directed by Will Gluck from a script by Dave Callahan. (EMP)
Andrew Garfield Is Set To Take a Trip ‘Under the Silver Lake’ With ‘It Follows’ Helmer
David Robert Mitchell also wrote the screenplay for the film, of which plot details are under wraps. It is, however, described as a modern-day noir crime thriller set in Los Angeles. It is scheduled to shoot in L.A. later this summer. (SF)
‘Dear White People': Netflix Adapting Justin Simien’s Racial Satire Into TV Series
From Fargo to Limitless, television shows based on movies are all the rage these days. You can now add Dear White People to that list, as Netflix has given a series order to an adaptation of writer/director Justin Simien’s 2014 racial satire. Simien himself will write all 10 episodes of the half-hour show and is set to direct its premiere as well. (IW)